Induction & Introdcution (part 1 of 2)

Ah.... A long overdue pregnancy post.... followed by a birth story and an introduction.

Somewhere in the 36 week range of pregnancy I did as every pregnant American women does and tested for Group B Strep (GBS).  A week later I found out I was positive for GBS.  And I was crushed.  In the US being positive for GBS and delivering in the hospital requires several rounds IV delivered antibiotics.  You can decline, but you're given a hard time about it.  I opted to retest before making any decisions about what I wanted to do go forward.

You see we all carry GBS in our body; it's just a matter of whether or not it's active.  When it's active it's only active for 6 weeks at a time.  So there was a chance to retesting and not being GBS positive anymore.  Personally I find the whole GBS thing a bunch of bull as you can be negative at time of testing but positive when you deliver and they (the doctors and hospital) have no way of knowing.  There is not a "rapid strep test" for GBS.  Anyhow, I go home and treat with some home remedies from my midwife and some that I found on-line.

My retest a week later comes back still positive.  I am a mess.  I am crying.  I do NOT want an IV in while delivering.  I want a water birth, like we had hoped for with TT; free of as much medical intervention as possible.  I worry about yeast infections and thrush for me and baby, both side effects from antibiotics.  I worry about baby and the 1 in 2,000 chance of fetal death from GBS if I do not treat.  I worry about not getting to the hospital and treating the GBS before baby is born (remember TT's labor?).

My midwives offer an induction.  They tell me  based on my history of fast labors and the GBS+ status that the induction will give me the birth I want, the water birth I want.  Yes, I will need an IV, but it will not be in all the time.  Husband and I think it over, I cry some, we talk and talk more and decide the induction was the way to go.

We had an appointment with the midwife that was doing the induction and we sat down to talk more about the birth plan; and that's when I found out the birth tub was not available (new tub in a new suite waiting for the board of health to approve it).  I, again, was crushed.  The water birth was the incentive I needed to go ahead with an induction.  Personally, I am just not a fan of the idea of inductions.  Too many chances for complications, additional drugs, interventions.... and the whole "picking your child's birth date" thing really bothers me.

Based on my history, current dilation, baby position and my desire to have no medical interventions or drugs we decided to use a medication called Cedavil.  I was up front and told her absolutely no pitocin, which is what everyone thinks of when you mention an induction.  Cedavil is a thin strip of material placed next to the cervix which help ripen and dilate the cervix.  If this did not work within 12 hours we were going to call it a failed induction and I was going to go home.  Because of the chance of not having the baby that day; and because when you mention induction everyone assumes pitocin Husband and I opted not to tell anyone about the induction.  We told our mothers and one or two other people and then hoped for the best.

The induction date was set for December 5; six days before the baby's actual due date.


to be continued